Question for Catholics

[dazzleman]

I think that the rise of anti-Catholicism is rooted in the aggressive anti-Christian doctrines being pushed by the secular liberal elitists.  Because the Catholic Church is the biggest and most organized Christian denomination, it is a prime targed for those who hate the Christian message and teaching.

The main problem secularists have with Christianity, in any form, is that it demands that we consider something other than ourselves in the way we live our lives.  Most of the ranting against the Catholic Church are simply meant to make it easier for people who don't wish to follow Christian teachings to justify the way they choose to live their lives - which usually includes things like extra-marital affairs, pregnancy outside marriage, and other activities that Christians view as immoral.

When Christian teaching had no competition to it, various Christian denominations could afford to fight among themselves, as Catholics and Protestants have done.  It is true that the Catholic religion is overly legalistic, and the eating meat on Friday thing is an example of that.

But true Christian teaching, which is the core of Catholic and Protestant doctrine, is largely responsible for the rise of the west (while other parts of the world have floundered) and the prosperity we enjoy.  To the extent that we throw away the tenets of Christianity, we will lose the basis for our democracy and our economic prosperity.

Ill-informed people simply fail to see the big picture on this issue.  It is not about whether the Catholic church says you can or can't eat meat on Friday, or even masturbate.  It is whether you go through your life thinking that you have an obligation to anyone or anything other than yourself.  Those who rail against Christian doctrine are often quite guiltless about messing up other people's lives in the name of their own rights and freedoms.  Look at what excessive sexual license has done to the lives of many children, how they have been so badly hurt by their parents' careless and irresponsible sexual and childbearing practices.  It is things like this that Christian teaching tries hardest to prevent.

[dazzleman]

I think that the rise of anti-Catholicism is rooted in the aggressive anti-Christian doctrines being pushed by the secular liberal elitists. 

Um, I am Christian.

Nominally maybe, but do you really believe in Christian teaching?  In any case, I wasn't talking about you personally, necessarily.